Exchanging Fists – What if?
by Misa-kike-chi
Summary: A compilation of shorts conveying and exploring philosophies and ideas as to what follows the end of the war (subject to expand), and relationships between multiple characters, probably mostly Team-7-centered (also subject to expand). Intentionally manipulated plot-line to get into the "what-ifs." Rated T to be safe. ch2: the result of Sasuke's trial.
1. Chapter 1

summary recap: A compilation of shorts conveying and exploring philosophies and ideas as to what follows the end of the war (subject to expand), and relationships between multiple characters, probably mostly Team-7-centered (also subject to expand). Intentionally manipulated plot-line to get into the "what-ifs." Rated T to be safe (mostly a precaution for occasional swearing).

I do not own Naruto.

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This first short is a little something I wrote about a year and a half ago, so my writing style is slightly different (and I probably missed mistakes I would have corrected). Because of the chapter updates that followed, my philosophy has changed a bit, but I didn't want to delete what I'd already written. This scenario is based off the assumption that Naruto and Sasuke do go at it as Madara (Obito) promised they would. It may still happen that way, but I'm more inclined to think that Sasuke wouldn't want to battle Naruto full out when they're both exhausted if he had the option to do it when they're both at full power. I imagine they would fight over the title of Hokage, although its basically impossible for Sasuke to become Hokage because of his past. Plus, I think Sasuke hates Naruto (or more like, how successful Naruto is compared to Sasuke) more than I portrayed in this scene.

In any case, I hope you enjoy.

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"What if...": Naruto and Sasuke battled it out at the conclusion of the war as promised?  
Characters: Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno  
timeline: around the conclusion of the war

Something like this was not so easily done. From here on out it would be so much harder...Naruto grinned. But the most reassuring thing was that he and Sasuke were still alive–and for the first time, they understood each other. Sure it hadn't gone as planned exactly, but the end was the best-case scenario...not that this was necessarily the end. Naruto's eyes squinted into half moons. His limbs were shaking and felt like they were pulsing from so much strain, but this war had made these slight tremors frequent enough it wasn't too hard to move around (coming from an Uzumaki). And so, the stubborn, knuckleheaded, idiot-ninja fought his aching muscles and broken bones and did his signature punch to the sky. At the same time, Naruto turned his head to pass a cheesy grin to Sasuke; this was a moment Naruto would have gladly exchanged in place of becoming Hokage and he wished it would never ever end. Sasuke continued to stare at the sky, sprawled opposite of his rival. Slowly, his dark eyes slid to the side until he was looking at Naruto from the corner of his eye, giving his happy teammate his own signature evil eye. But his heart wasn't in it.

The blood the Uchiha had shed from using his brother's sharingan was already dry on his face, which would have given him a sinister look had his eyes contained their usual pools of darkness. The two teammates looked away and, for a while, the only thing that could be heard was the ragged breathing of exhausted and spent shinobi.

Sasuke breathed in deeply, registering the smell of dampened, burnt earth, ignoring the nagging voice in his head that breathing in the fumes of smoke was not healthy. He had thought that voice had died long ago.

"...Oi, Naruto."

"Hmm?"

"...Hn."

Naruto began laughing softly before his exhaustion made him blow it into hysterical laughter. Sasuke made a face, clearly annoyed but not angry enough to do something about it. Eventually Naruto's guffaws silenced themselves after he began coughing up blood.

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

Naruto grinned once more and they gazed up at the dispersing stormclouds. Whatever they had wanted to say had already been conveyed more clearly than words could have explained. With each exchange of their fists, it was almost something impossibly inconceivable, but little by little they had torn each other down until every feeling was exposed.

And so here they were, staring at the beginnings of another day. They had fought through the night, the bursts of wind, electricity, and both red and black flames creating bold flashes of light that sporadically illuminated the battlefield. The surges of energy from summons, jutsus, and forms like sage mode and the nine-tails form coupled with susanoo and other tricks from the sharingan would have affected those shinobi still fighting within several miles in every direction. Madara had indeed kept his promise when he guaranteed a suitable battlefield, transporting the two to a landscape mostly untouched by the war and, most importantly, far from the rest of the fighting. It simply would not do to have someone interrupt besides Madara or perhaps Zetsu (not that anyone in their right mind would get much closer than a mile from the fierce battle). Madara made sure he didnt send the two too far away from the fighting though. He wanted to be sure the pulses of energy and explosions of jutsu could still be felt and faintly heard by the Allied Shinobi Forces. He knew what effect it would have on the ninja that knew what the battle meant (meaning everyone—word eventually gets around).

Naruto felt the edges of his vision burn as his adrenaline rush finally began fading, "Ne, teme..."

Sasuke waited for Naruto's completion of thought, but when he glanced to the dobe's face, Naruto was fast asleep, the bruises on his face already healing thanks to the nine-tails. Sasuke glared at the whiskers on...Karuma's whiskers, on Naruto's battered cheeks. He had been surprised when he found Naruto and Karuma on speaking terms- friendly ones at that. Last he had checked, Karuma was far from sociable...

Sasuke stubbornly fought against sleep but eventually let his eyelids droop. So maybe he had been wrong all this time. Sasuke had been so sure of everything, especially after he revived Orochimaru and redefined his purposes and refocused on his goals. How was it that someone so stupid could so completely tear at and destroy every wall Sasuke had set up. (Well, not every wall, but I digress.) Maybe this was something he should have seen coming as soon as he and Naruto exchanged their first blows in their battle. It was almost as if Sasuke was destined to change his mindset again. If Naruto could overcome Karuma's hatred, the demon fox spirit that almost breathed hatred before he allowed Naruto into his life (pun and irony itended), he could overcome Sasuke's own hatred developed over only a portion of a lifetime and not centuries of resentment.

He would never forgive himself and never orally admit that Naruto had saved him from himself. It hurt his pride too much. And maybe when he came to...his eyelids twitched...maybe when he came to, he'd already be in the next world. After all, the orders for everyone else was to kill Uchiha Sasuke on sight, probably despite his aid on the battlefield. And with that lost thought, the rogue shinobi's lips quirked into a weak smirk before he finally let his conscience slip into oblivion.

It was to the sound of snores (from Naruto) and the smells of burnt skin and land that a certain pink-haired and panicking kunoichi arrived.

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Sakura was about ready to bust a mountain. It was just like in Konoha against Pain. She could only watch Naruto suffer and try to beat someone she almost considered unbeatable. She was angry at herself. Was she so weak that she couldn't jump in and lend a hand? No, she had promised Naruto she would leave Sasuke to him. But that didn't lessen the pain in her chest. And she still couldn't make her body move towards them, even if she was not a burden any longer.

_Calm down_, she breathed in and out. _Focus on healing everyone else. Conserve chakra so she could rescue her two idiots from death if need be._

She was so focused that it was some time before she realized that the gigantic explosions had ceased. "Sakura-san. They're finished," the slug from her shoulder offered. With a start, Sakura sprung from her seated position only to trip over herself. She hadn't noticed that the circulation in her legs was cut off either. Scowling and impatient, Sakura used her hands to spring herself through the air, furiously pumping what chakra she could spare into her numb and aching legs as the scenery flew by…

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**Author's note:** I included a little short from Sakura's POV. Little out-of-order, but I'm okay with that. And I'm not a Sakura-hater. Just letting you know now.

Specifically for this story, I didn't even want to try to interpret what Kishi meant when Naruto told Sasuke that they would not be the same people (Naruto wouldn't be the ninetails-carrier anymore blahblah–I'm probably misquoting, do you remember this when team 7 saw sasuke and madara at the falls?), so I just did as I pleased.

I wanted to get at least a few of these stories out there before the manga's conclusion. I'll probably finish before that, but I thought it would lose a bit of its point if the series ended before. At this point, I know I have at least three (maybe more) shorts (updates) I've more or less planned or at least thought about. If anyone has any ideas they'd like me to write about, just shoot me a PM or review the suggestion to me: "What if..." Thanks for reading! R&R, plz&ty!

next update: Sasuke's fate post-war


	2. Chapter 2

This next short is also from a little over a year and a half ago with minor edits. It's based off the assumption that Sasuke is taken away willingly (or because they found him knocked out/asleep/wounded as what happened in the last chapter) instead of going rogue once more (although he could probably do so after the sentence). All witnesses have been sent away. All kage will be notified of the outcome, and each will exercise their own announcement to their respective domains. Tsunade has just received her notice. She has chosen to notify specific people immediately (ex: elders, Team 7, etc.) and have a public announcement later on. It's still very early in the morning.

"What if...": Sasuke goes on trial?  
Characters: Tsunade, Naruto Uzumaki, Shizune, Sasuke Uchiha (mentioned)  
timeline: post-war, worldwide criminals on trial (immediately following Sasuke's sentence)

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Tsunade tapped her finger in random succession on her desk, drumming to some spontaneous tune. Chestnut eyes darted to the clock and back to their spaced out stare into her cup of tea. Of course, she preferred her sake, but there was a meeting that required her presence later...it would never do to arrive drunk. She'd drink to her hearts content later.

Her fingers rubbed softly over the warm surface of the pottery. She grimaced, waving away the yearning to hold the neck of a sake bottle instead. Before that though, she was expecting a certain someone in her office within the hour. She wished she could afford to get drunk for this, but it would backfire at the second meeting...

_To hell with this_, Tsunade fumed dejectedly as she reached for her sake stash. A few drinks wouldn't hurt.

She glanced again at the irritatingly slow minute hand. It was only a matter of time now. She wasn't looking forward to it.

Shizune held a squirming Tonton in her arms, both human and pig uncomfortable with the aura Tsunade was giving off. After several days of listening to accounts and witnesses in front of a panel of old judges and a diverse collection of ninja and a few civilians, the court had been adjourned. The debate had been difficult, but Tsunade had done her best—well, as best as she could as Hokage. Personally, the older kunoichi wanted to give Naruto what he wanted, but she had her own people as well as the Shinobi Alliance to think about... The judges had come to a conclusion in the early morning hours. Shizune hoped Naruto-kun would understand... _But knowing Naruto_, Shizune thought, _he would be screaming first_.

Assistant and pet winced and voiced silent disapproval as Tsunade chugged down yet another cup of sake and poured another. About to softly reprimand her sensei, Shizune was cut short by a scream of indignation and flare of chakra roughly in the direction of Naruto's apartment...

"Ano...I...we'll wait outside." The jittery duo shuffled out the door, leaving Tsunade by herself. Not for long.

Tsunade downed the sake again. "Bring it, brat," she muttered tiredly.

She didn't even twitch an eyebrow, only poured herself another shot while Mr. Son-of-the-"Yellow-Flash" punched a hole into her office from the outside.

"You could have used the door."

Tsunade lifted her cup toward her lips just as Naruto's hands collided with her desk, jolting everything on it while dust from the rubble filled the air. It was a good thing she had remembered to warn the Anbu guards about the expected...visitor... Surprisingly, Naruto remained silent though he was shaking in anger, giving Tsunade a slight glare and small scowl of hurt, helplessness, frustration, and disappointment. He regarded her silently, almost uncharacteristically patiently, as if he was waiting for her to say something.

Tsunade hadn't taken the sip, but took it then, gently placed her drink on the desk, hands cupped around it, a single finger still tapping to the unknown tune. She knew Naruto was trying his best to put a reign on his emotions and absently wondered if this would be a replay of the moment Naruto received the news of Jiraiya's death and her "unlucky," lucky gamble. Nevertheless, she was surprised at his self-control; it was one thing to expect this type of reaction but a different story to see it play out in front of you. She sighed.

"What was I supposed to do?"

Naruto narrowed his eyes. Wow, maybe his battle with Sasuke did more to him than meets the eye. Hah.

"Look, I did my best. A few against the world can't do much," Tsunade almost thought it was a bad example but found its use in her argument, "Even Madara and Kabuto and Zetsu. They had their techniques to get them more men, but those zombies and clones had more power than those three guys combined as a singular force."

On second thought, maybe that was a bad example after all. And an illogical one. She didn't know. Maybe the sake was beginning to get to her head, thought, _Maybe I should put it away_, and did so. If Naruto was showing self-control, she might as well quit the sake for the moment. She knew he didn't appreciate her addiction, not that so many others didn't. As an alternative, she reached for the tea, took a sip, narrowed her eyes at the unsatisfying, now cold sensation on her tongue.

Tsunade tipped her cup, swirling the contents. "I'm sorry, Naruto. Sasuke will live in exile on his own small plot of land set aside for his exclusive use, but guarded by various shinobi from the Alliance at all times. If and when he is allowed to return, he will be monitored and will have to go through other necessary steps if he wants his citizenship back. You are not permitted to see him nor know his location."

Naruto lowered his head, eyes out of Tsunade's line of vision.

"That is confidential information." She paused. "But he will live." Tsunade watched Naruto closely. She leaned forward on her elbows, interlacing her fingers into their habitual stance, obscuring her nose and mouth from view.

It had been almost half a year since the war ended. Uchiha Sasuke's trial had been put off since everyone was aiding in the recovery process...that, and there was plenty of dispute on what exactly was to be done with him (or rather, whether he should be disposed of or not). Kabuto had been...disposed of. His aid to Madara in the war was tragic and all his past actions as rogue ninja and associate to Orochimaru made him doubly inexcusable. When they found him, he seemed also to have gone stark mad. No need to have another mental criminal on the loose.

Orochimaru had slithered away, probably still very capable, especially with his arms restored. This very moment Tsunade was leading a team of medics and experienced sealing experts in an attempt to either remove or invent a seal to override Orochimaru's curse seals. If he had the ability to come out of every curse seal he placed, they would never be through with him. What was most worrisome was Orochimaru's intentions to stay in contact with Sasuke. Her eyelids drooped a little. No wonder that bastard gave his life up so easily, or at least, with almost no indignation to Sasuke the first time. And nobody wanted to see the deceased again. Honestly, Tsunade believed Kabuto had wanted and maybe even expected his death. To be fair, Sasuke was formidable enough on his own, comparable to Kabuto, but there were many other factors...anyhow, Tsunade shook her head, the trial was over and done with. She didn't need to go over all of this again.

Tsunade observed Naruto's hands, now clenched at his sides, from over the rim of her cup.

"Why."

Tsunade remained in her calm facade, staring Naruto in the eyes.

"You could have tried harder."

Tsunade stayed silent. She was very aware that, due to his personality, Naruto needed to get this out of him—verbally and at the training grounds later. Well, she was here and she was going to take his crap to an extent. She wasn't going to let him mope around forever. And she hated that look in his eyes, something swirling in his expressive eyes that nobody saw often.

"Damnit!" Naruto crouched until Tsunade could only see tufts of blonde and his clenched fists, still on her desk. She bowed her head too, and they sat there silently, mutual emotions playing across their shadowed faces.

Naruto stood, stiff. "I hate this!" he finally broke, tears beginning to creep into his eyes and blurring his sight.

Tsunade thought silently, After shock and disbelief, there is anger, and then there is sorrow and hurt...

"I try to think of something to say, but it doesn't make sense and there's always something that contradicts and I–..." he cut short, letting tears escape and trail down his cheeks. "I want to hit you but I can't do that–"

"So you smashed my wall to pieces," Tsunade offered in an attempt at wry humor.

Naruto scoffed, muttering under his breath, "Its not like you haven't done that plenty of times before." But the shadow of a smile quickly disappeared. "I think of doing something to take my frustration out and yet I can't quite let go of myself like I used to…" He rubbed his face with the back of his hands. Being a hero was hard.

Tsunade leaned her forehead against her clasped hands. She inhaled and exhaled deeply before pushing herself back and swiveling her chair around to face the windows, giving Naruto a little privacy. She looked out over the rooftops, into the waking streets, the faces full of expression. Her focus changed to her reflection; the purple diamond, the brown eyes, thinly arched brows, the blonde framing her face, the face that didn't show her true age. She loved this village even if she had been somewhat bullied into accepting the role of Hokage. She had thought it would have somehow insulted her lover and little brother. Well, maybe not insulted. But she didn't feel comfortable taking their dream, so to speak. She was glad Naruto had brought her back; Tsunade had needed her home in the Leaf almost as much as Konoha needed her. The council was...uncooperative, stubborn, antiquated. It didn't matter that Sasuke was dead-set on becoming Hokage, that he would never destroy the Leaf to respect his brother's wishes. It didn't matter that shinobi could sense that Sasuke's general intentions were for the good of the Leaf. The citizens would never accept that kind of answer even from any of the kage or the hero of the war. Even the shinobi, though faced with the obvious facts, were extremely uncomfortable with that kind of outcome. Tsunade almost didn't catch Naruto's next words.

"Arigatou...baa-chan."

Tsunade's smiled sadly. He didn't say it with any emphasis on any syllable. He was just struggling at the moment. She knew Naruto really did feel grateful. She also knew the only reason he hadn't exploded yet was because he had actually worried himself sick over the possibility of Sasuke being convicted and given life in prison or even placed on death row. Naruto was the singular force fighting against Sasuke's execution. Even as the hero of the war, he couldn't do much if the rest of his own leaf village was still reluctant. Sasuke wasn't a goner due to Naruto's prestige and reputation, and his stubbornness. Now that he knew Sasuke wasn't dying, Naruto was struggling with the fact that not only was Sasuke forbidden from stepping outside the little piece of land, he was not allowed any sort of communiction with the outside world. And nobody knew what to think about Sasuke's announcement that he was going to become Hokage, except for the fact that it would never be accepted.

Tsunade stared into the bottom of her empty cup. "I have a plan."

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Thank you to everyone who bothered to read

next time: Anniversary of the war's end. Naruto's appointment with a certain someone. (subject to change)  
(also, a requested short starring Sakura. suggested/inspired by KARASU25: "What if...": Sasuke was awake when Sakura found her exhausted teammates?)  
^I would have included it in this chapter, but this one is long enough as it is...


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